Roblox Anime School Life Fanfic
by KitTheKid
Summary: Keith was born a half-fox-half-human hybrid, which meant he didn't exactly fit in with society. However, that gave him a chance to attend a school where he would finally be accepted for his abnormalities, Monogatari High. Watch as Keith trials through drama, romance, and confusing plot twists throughout his adventures at Monogatari High.
1. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Anime School Forever is a game on Roblox. I do not own the game. Some parts of the story are based on role playing experiences from the game. Also, the first chapter's going to be the longest chapter, so don't expect every chapter afterwards to be the same length. I just want to make the first chapter special, since it's my first story on .


	2. First Day of School

Keith wasn't your typical teenager. For one thing, he was half fox, being the spawn of a demon fox mother and a normal human father. However, things weren't all bad for Keith. Because of his abnormalities, he was given the chance to attend a school where he would finally be able to be accepted, Anime Academy.

It was early in the morning. The sun had barely risen past the horizon. A gentle breeze carried the scent of cherry blossoms to the front gates of Anime Academy where Keith stood quietly staring up at the main academy building. A cherry blossom petal glided through the air and landed gently on Keith's head as he focused his attention onto the school entrance. _Finally, the day has come,_ Keith thought to himself as he walked up to the entrance of the building with a confident smile and a wagging tail.

Inside the building, Keith was greeted with the refreshing coolness of the air conditioning and the excited chatter of his fellow students. In the crowds, Keith could notice many other students who also have abnormalities of their own. Some students had animalistic qualities like Keith, such as animal ears and tails, and others even displayed superpowers, such as levitation or super speed. In this crowd of students, Keith was perfectly normal, something he'd never imagine in his life.

Keith quickly got his stuff from his locker and strolled happily to his first period class. Sliding open the classroom door and stepping inside, Keith took an empty seat close to the window and waited excitedly as the classroom filled up with students. Suddenly, a girl with golden blonde hair approached him and slammed her hand onto the desk with a loud thump, which made Keith jump.

"Hey, fox boy. You're in my seat." The girl said intimidatingly.

Keith froze with fear. _W-What?_ Keith couldn't believe what was happening. He had just gotten into the school, and he already had someone who hates him.

"Well? You gonna move? Or are we going to have to do this the hard way?" The girl asked cracking her knuckles at Keith.

"I-I…" Keith tried to find his words, but it was already too late. The girl grabbed Keith by the shirt collar and forcefully flung him out of the seat and across the classroom with an effortless flick of the wrist.

"There, much better," The girl said indifferently, taking Keith's seat as he laid in pain on the hard wooden floor.

Pulling himself up to his feet, Keith quickly scanned the classroom for a different seat and quickly took an empty seat in the very front of the class next to another student with spiky, electric blue hair.

"Wow, that was quite a throw. You alright?" The student asked jokingly.

"Um, y-yeah." Keith replied.

"Okay, that's good. You're new right?" The student asked.

"Yeah, I just transferred today." Keith answered with a smile.

"Oh, in that case, I'm Ethan," The student introduced himself, "And, er, that girl that just threw you across the room? That's Amber, and if you have any common sense, you should probably stay as far away as you can from her."

"Heh, noted," Keith answered rubbing his arm, which took the most of the impact. Just as Keith finished his sentence, the teacher entered the classroom and quieted down the class. Soon the class began settling down, and the teacher began the daily lessons. Class went by fairly quickly, and soon, it was time for a break. The class emptied out quickly, and Keith followed Ethan to the school fountain where most of the students would gather during break.

"Hey, Keith. I kinda have to meet with someone right now, so do you mind hang out by yourself for a while?" Ethan asked.

"Oh, sure thing." Keith answered.

"Sweet. Well, I'll see you later," Ethan said as he turned away and disappeared into the school building again. Keith was alone again.

Keith circled the central fountain for a while, admiring the shape of the structure and the clearness of the water that sprouted out of the top of the fountain, until he saw a lone student standing alone under a tree not too far from him. Being alone himself, Keith thought about socializing for a bit, and promptly approached the student. However, as soon as the student saw Keith approaching her, the student quickly bolted, leaving a confused Keith behind. _Huh?_ Keith thought to himself, _Did she just run away from me..?_

Soon, the second period bell rang, and Keith began heading to the school dojo for martial arts class. Walking through the halls alone, Keith noticed a familiar figure standing in front of the dojo, and his guts sank. It was Amber. Before Keith could sneak past her and into the classroom, Amber viciously gripped onto Keith's tail and yanked him out of the classroom doors.

"Nice timing, fox boy. I was looking for a sparring partner," Amber sneered while gripping Keith's tail tighter in her hands, which sent jolts of pain up his spine, "So, what do you say, partner?"

"U-Um," Keith tried to resist, but immediately gave into the pain, "Yeah, sure."

"Perfect," Amber said letting go of Keith's tail and dragging Keith into the dojo by his fox ears instead, "Let's get going then."

As soon as Keith and Amber entered the dojo, the teacher began class and the students began sparring. Amber casually let go of Keith and then proceeded to roundhouse kick him into the dojo wall. Keith slid off the wall and tried to catch his breath as Amber sprinted towards him. Before Keith could raise his arms in defense, Amber jabbed him hard in the stomach and quickly used the momentum to flip him over her shoulder and onto the floor.

Keith was now gasping for breath, since Amber had knocked the air out of him so many times. Now crawling on his stomach, Keith could only hope to end the pain by escaping Amber, but soon he notice her shadow looming over him and her crimson red eyes glaring down intently at him. _That's it. I'm a goner,_ Keith thought miserably, but then a miracle happened.

"Stop, just stop it already!" a blue-haired girl was standing between Keith and Amber shielding him from Amber's wrathful glare.

"Eden? What do you want?" Amber asked indifferently.

"Can't you see he's had enough?" Eden nearly shouted "The poor guy can hardly breathe!"

"Hmph, fine. I'll just go find someone else to beat up. They're no fun when they don't fight back anyways," Amber said as she turned away from Keith and Eden to go look for another sparring partner.

"Thanks," Keith said as Eden helped him up.

"Don't worry about it. Amber's just a bully," Eden said with a shy smile, "By the way, I'm Eden. What's your name?"

"It's Keith. Nice to meet you." Keith replied with a bright smile.

"Keith, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you too, Keith." Eden said, "Hey, do you mind if we have lunch together? I don't have any friends yet."

"Sure! I don't have any friends yet, either." Keith replied as the bell for lunch rang. The teacher dismissed the class with a bow, and the dojo emptied out as students headed for the cafeteria area.

Keith didn't really feel like eating that day after Amber's punch to the stomach, so he just sat with Eden at a lunch table during the duration of lunch.

"So, since you're new and all, Have you considered joining any clubs yet?" Eden asked suddenly.

"No, not really. Why? Do you have any in mind?" Keith replied, flicking a leaf off of his shoulder.

"Not at the moment, but you should really consider joining a club. Almost everyone in school's in one, so you probably don't wanna be left out." Eden answered.

"Are you in any clubs, then?" Keith asked.

"Yeah, actually. I'm part of the drama club. We're actually a pretty small club, but I'm not sure you're the drama type." Eden answered as the bell rang for class to begin, "Well, that's the bell. You better head to your next class, Keith. I'll see you later."

The two parted ways as Keith went off to the pool changing room for swimming class. Quickly changing into a simple, blue pair of trunks, Keith stepped out of the changing room and into the bright, sunlit pool area. Scanning the pool area for familiar faces, Keith suddenly recognized a familiar head of spiky electric blue hair.

"Ethan!" Keith called out.

Ethan turned around as Keith reached him, "Oh hey, man. I thought we'd have this class together."

"Yeah, and a good thing too. You're probably the only person I know here." Keith joked.

"So, you wanna swim? No reason coming to swimming class if you're not going to swim." Ethan said as he approached closer to the pool.

"Sure," Keith answered, following Ethan.

And with a splash, the two launched into the pool and raced each other across the water. After reaching the other edge of the pool, the two emerge from the water for air. Keith shook the water out of his orange, blonde hair and ears and looked over at Ethan, whose spiky, electric blue hair was now a wet mess draped behind his head. But for some reason, Ethan's hair now reminded Keith of someone.

"Hey, Ethan. Do you know a girl named Eden?" Keith asked.

"E-Eden? Well, not really. Why?" Ethan said nervously.

"Heh, no reason. It's just your hair reminds me of hers," Keith pointed out innocently.

"Oh, really? Hey, you wanna go another round?" Ethan asked nervously, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh, sure," Keith replied before launching of the edge of the pool once more with Ethan next to him.

The two spent the rest of the period swimming laps around the pool, until school finally ended and Keith and Ethan changed back into their original school uniforms. The two headed out to the courtyard, and said their goodbyes before parting ways. Keith continued to walk on into the golden sunset as the cherry blossoms continued to fall slowly behind him. The first day of Anime Academy was finally over.


	3. Kamui

Keith laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. It was still night, but for some reason, Keith couldn't find it in himself to fall asleep. So much had happened; Keith couldn't help but think about it over and over again. Realizing that it's going to be a while until he's tired enough to sleep, Keith slid out of bed and slipped on his jacket. _Maybe I'll be able to sleep if I take a quick walk._ Keith thought as he opened his dorm door and walked out into the halls. Walking down the halls as quietly as he can, Keith suddenly stopped a couple feet from his dorm room. In front of him stood a girl with dark black and purple hair and a blank stare. _A girl? But this is the boys' dorms._ Keith thought.

"You're Keith, I presume?" the girl said suddenly, "I'm Kamui. I need you to come with me."

Keith froze. _What?_ Keith couldn't understand the situation at all.

"W-Why?" Keith finally uttered.

"You'll know soon. Just come with me," the girl said eerily.

"A-Ah, actually it's pretty late. I think I should probably head back to my dorm." Keith replied in a panic.

"Oh, really? I thought you came outside for a walk." Kamui said plainly, "Am I wrong? Or are you just creeped out?"

But by the time Kamui finished her sentence, Keith had already shut his dorm door.

"I guess it's the creeped out option, then," Kamui said as she turned towards the exit.

Keith, now buried under his blanket, continued to think about Kamui, before quickly falling fast asleep.

Morning came the same way it did the day before. The sun peeked over the horizon and the refreshing morning breeze carried the scent of cherry blossoms through the air. Keith had already gotten up and was getting dressed in his normal school uniform and jacket. Stepping out into the dorm halls, Keith found Ethan waiting for him patiently next to his dorm room door.

"You all ready?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah. Let's get going," Keith replied with a smile as the two began walking down the halls.

"Oh, by the way, did you see a girl walking around in the dorms last night?" Keith asked.

"A girl? No. Why? Was there someone suspicious walking around here?" Ethan asked with a worried expression.

"Ah, well, there was this weird girl I met yesterday. I think her name was Kamui?" Keith recalled scratching his head.

"K-Kamui?" Ethan went pale, "What did she want?"

"Uh, she wanted me to come with her somewhere," Keith said with a confused stare, "But I didn't. Is there something wrong, Ethan? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Er, sorry," Ethan said trying to appear unaffected, "It's just… Kamui's really bad news."

"Huh?" Keith looked at Ethan with wide eyes. _Oh, no. What does he mean by that?_ Keith thought in a panic.

"Listen, Keith. I know this sounds weird, but you'd better do as she says," Ethan warned, "If Kamui came to you, she must really want something from you, and she knows how to get her way. So it'll be quicker if you just listen to her."

"O-Or what?" Keith asked, clearly spooked by Ethan's warning.

"Well, let's just say something bad will happen." Ethan said with a grim expression as the two reached the school entrance.

"A-Ah, well, let's forget about that for now. We should really get to class now," Keith said desperate to change the subject, "I have music first today. How 'bout you?"

"Oh, I have martial arts first," Ethan answered slinging his bag over his shoulder, "Well, I'll see ya later, I guess."

"Alright, see ya later," Keith said waving at Ethan as he headed down the right side of the halls.

Keith sped towards the music room and quietly slid open the classroom door. Immediately, Keith was greeted with the gentle melody of piano music. Quickly peeking into the room, Keith saw a head of warm blonde hair swaying rhythmically behind the piano. Shyly, Keith crept closer to sneak a peek at the person playing the piano only to stare in shock as Amber continued to play, unaware of Keith's presence. Keith held his breath as Amber opened her eyes and slowly looked up at him.

"Fox boy!" Amber exclaimed, quickly retracting her hands from the piano, "How long have you been standing there?"

"S-Sorry," Keith stammered as he backed away quickly, "I didn't know. It just sounded so good- I mean the piano- No! Your music, I mean."

"Shut up!" Amber nearly screamed. Amber's face turned a bright shade of red as she got up from the piano stool and stomped closer to Keith. Grabbing him by the tie, Amber pushed Keith up against the wall of the classroom violently and glared into his eyes with a venomous gaze of hatred.

Suddenly, the classroom door swung open, and a flash of light suddenly blinded the two. Keith struggled in vain to see the person that opened the door, but it was all in vain as the door quickly shut again and the rapid footsteps of someone running away could be heard.

"No way!" Amber suddenly said releasing Keith's tie, "That dirty weasel just took a picture of us!"

 _In that position?!_ Keith thought frantically, _Was that what Ethan meant by Kamui having ways of getting what she wanted? Blackmail?_

"You stay right there, fox boy!" Amber growled as she swung open the classroom door and ran down the hall after the student, "I'm gonna tear that weasel apart!"

Keith was left alone and dumbfounded in the music room as students began to arrive at the class whispering amongst themselves about Amber's sudden outburst out of the room. Finally, the teacher entered the classroom, and began class. Keith didn't participate much during the class still worrying about the mysterious student and the picture they took. _It'll be really bad if a photo like that gets around. It'll probably shred Amber's reputation._ Keith thought to himself as he stared out the window. Suddenly, the classroom door swung open once more, and Amber walked in with an irritated expression.

"Hey, fox boy," Amber called through grit teeth, "We have a break after this, right? Wanna meet me at the fountain later?"

The entire class went quiet and stared at the two of them. Keith could feel their eyes on him.

"Don't worry. It's not like I'm going to beat you up, or anything," Amber said trying to reassure Keith, "I just need to have a word with you."

"Um, s-sure, I guess," Keith said through shaking teeth. The entire class froze. _What did I just do?_ Keith thought to himself as he stared up at Amber intense glare.

"Good. Meet me by the fountain later, alright?" Amber said before rushing out of the room. _Seriously, what did I just do?_ Keith thought to himself as he watched Amber leave.


	4. Reveal

The bell rang for break, and Keith slowly made his way down to the school fountain. _If Amber wants to see me, then it must be something bad._ Keith thought to himself as he walked down the flights of stairs towards the first floor of the school building, _Was it because of what happened before class? Or is this because of Kamui?_ Keith walked out of the school building and into the school square where the school fountain stood, majestically under the warm glow of the morning sun. Amber sat at the edge of the fountain staring down nervously at her hands.

"Uh, Amber?" Keith spoke up.

"Oh, fox kid, you're here," Amber said calmly turning towards Keith, "Good, now we can talk."

"So, what's up?" Keith asked, shocked by Amber's unusually calm demeanor.

"Come to the occult club after school," Amber said plainly, "There's someone that wants to see you."

A shiver ran down Keith's spine as Amber finished her sentence, "Someone that wants to see me?"

"Yeah," Amber said looking away from Keith and back at the birds in the nearby tree, "She said something bad will happen if you don't."

"B-But-" Keith began.

"Listen, fox boy," Amber suddenly said angrily, "You already dragged me into this, so you're gonna have to get me out of it. Either you're going that club after school, or I'm dragging you there myself. Now, what's it going to be?"

"H-Huh?" _Where did all this anger come from?_ Keith thought frantically, _What did she mean when she said she was dragged into this? What is "this"?_

"Well?" Amber growled.

"Yeah! Sure! I'll go," Keith blurted in a panic.

"Good. Then I guess we're done here." Amber replied aggressively before heading back inside the school building. Keith stood alone for a while before going to his next period class.

The day passed quickly, and finally it was time for martial arts class, the final class of the day. Keith didn't really feel like sparring, so he just sat at the corner of the room watching as the other students practiced their martial arts. _Maybe… Maybe I shouldn't go to the occult club after school._ Keith thought to himself, _What if Amber's setting me up for something? And this Kamui character just sound like an accident waiting to happen. It's just too risky. Maybe, I'll just head home after class. It's not like Amber will know._ Just as Keith finished his thought, he spotted Ethan approaching him with a worried expression.

"Hey, Keith," Ethan said, "Mind if we talk for a bit outside of class?"

"Sure," Keith replied following Ethan through the crowd of sparring students. As soon as the two got out of the classroom, Ethan slid the classroom door closed behind them and stood in silence.

"So, uh, what's up?" Keith asked with his hands casually in his pockets, "Is something wrong?"

Ethan said nothing. Instead, Ethan held firmly onto Keith's shoulders and proceeded to lock lips with him. Keith stared wide-eyed as Ethan sank deeper into the kiss before softening his grip on Keith's shoulders and pulling away.

"W-Why?" Keith stammered.

"A-Ask Kamui!" Ethan blurted with a flushed red face, "S-She'll be waiting for you in the o-occult club room. Just go there and ask her!"

Ethan bolted down the halls and disappeared out of the school building leaving behind a dumbstruck Keith.

"Huh?" Keith finally uttered.

The end of school bell finally rang, and students began flooding out of the classrooms and towards the main entrance. Keith stood silently in the stream of students like a pebble in a flowing river, until finally the school was almost completely empty of students. Finally, Keith turned towards the occult club room, and took a step forward. He wasn't sure of what horrors awaited him inside the room, but he knew he would get no answers from running away. _Who is this Kamui person?_ Keith thought worrily to himself, _And how is she making Amber and Ethan do these things?_ Suddenly, Keith felt a gentle tug on his jacket. Turning around, Keith came face to face with Eden.

"Oh, h-hi, Eden." Keith greeted hesitantly. _Is Eden going to be part of this too?_ Keith thought.

"H-Hi, Keith," Eden said shyly, "Are you heading to the occult club?"

"Y-Yeah," Keith replied. _Eden is definitely a part of this. Well, that makes everyone I know so far._

"Oh, good," Eden said stepping in front of Keith, "I'm actually heading there myself. Wanna walk together?"

"S-Sure thing," Keith answered, "But, um, did Kamui sent you?"

"Maybe," Eden answered, "So, can we get going now?"

Keith nodded before following Eden down the halls and towards a dark corner of the school. Keith felt the air sink and the sunlight from the windows become dimmed by the shade of the trees outside.

"We're here," Eden said as she slowly slid open the club room door. Keith walked inside first and began looking around the room. The club room was about the size of a normal classroom, maybe a bit smaller, and partially lit by a single candle in the center of the room. Eden entered the room as well and closed the door behind her quietly.

"Hello, I've been expecting you," a voice emerge from the shadows along with a figure dressed in black, "Welcome to the occult club."

"Hi, Kamui," Eden said as she took a seat on the rug in front of the candle, "You mind telling us why you need Keith now?"

"Of course, but first," Kamui turned to Keith who stood quivering by the door, "Why don't you have a seat, Keith?"

"O-Oh, okay," Keith answered as he slowly sat down next to Eden. _This doesn't feel right. What's happening?_ Keith thought to himself as Kamui quietly stared at him.

"Good. Now as for the reason I brought Keith here…" Kamui took out a small, empty vial and held it out in front of Keith, "I need a couple strands of hair from your tail."

Keith's heart sank. _What? What's she going to do with my hair? What's going to happen to me?_

"Oh, don't worry. Nothing will happen to you," Kamui immediately answered, "I don't plan to use your own fur to harm you. It's just, fox fur is a rather rare ingredient around here, and I need it for a certain… concoction."

"W-What?" Keith stammered. _Did I say that out loud?_

"No, you didn't." Kamui answered once more, "But I can still hear you."

"H-Huh?! N-No way!" Keith exclaimed in shock, "H-How?"

"Simple," Kamui answered, "I can read your mind.'

Keith was speechless. _Read my mind? How? How can you read somebody's mind?_

"Is that really so strange?" Kamui asked with a devilish smile, "The students at this school can have animal ears and fling people around like they're nothing, but you think mind-reading powers are strange. You must be joking."

Keith said nothing. Instead he thought back to the other students in his class and their powers. _I guess that's not so strange after all,_ Keith thought.

"Good. I'm glad you finally understand. Now then, the hair?" Kamui requested once more, holding the vial up to Keith who sat still, "I promise nothing bad will happen to you."

"But wait," Keith said suddenly, "Then how'd you get Amber and the others to do what you want? Can you control minds too?"

"Oh, no. I just blackmailed them with their own thoughts," Kamui said plainly, "Now then?"

Keith took a deep breath before plucking a couple strands of hair out of his tail and dropping them into Kamui's vial.

"Excellent," Kamui grinned, taking the vial and slipping it back into her bag, "This will do just fine."

"C-Can I go now?" Keith asked as the room began to feel much colder.

"Of course. I wouldn't want you to be around while I brew the concoction anyways," Kamui said coldly.

Keith and Eden got up from the carpet and quickly walked out of the room. Keith and Eden stood in the halls for a while, speechless and unmoving, until Eden finally spoke up.

"Hey, Keith. There's something I need to tell you," Eden turned around scanning the empty halls before turning back to Keith, "Keith, you know Ethan, right?"

"Yeah?" Keith replied.

"Well," Eden closed her eyes as a gentle veil of crystal blue light covered her body like a blanket of mist. Keith stood mortified as Eden's figure began to change within the veil of light. Her shoulder broaden, her hair shortened, and her figure grew in height. Finally, the light vanished and the new figure standing before Keith spoke, "I'm Ethan."

"Wha…" Keith could hardly believe it. His first two friends were actually one person!

"I wanted to tell you sooner," Ethan tried to explain, "B-But, then Kamui got to me first and threatened to tell you my secret. And I wanted to be the one to tell you. And things just got so complicated. And please don't tell anybody."

"I-I won't, But, Ethan, why?" The thought of having superpowers no longer surprised Keith, but something in him couldn't understand why Ethan had done this.

"W-Well, don't judge me, but I kinda wanted to see what being a girl was like. So I used my transformation powers to turn into one. But then I got really into it, and accidentally created a double life. And now I kinda don't want to get rid of Eden. And-" Ethan took a deep breath before being interrupted by Keith.

"Ethan, Ethan. Dude, it's okay," Keith said holding him up by the shoulders, "You don't have to keep explaining. I get it."

"Really?" Ethan said timidly.

"Yeah, dude," Keith replied reassuringly, "I get you. Don't worry about."

"Ah, thank goodness. You're the best," Ethan sighed as the two began walking down the halls towards the school's entrance, "Can we forget about the kiss from before though?"

"Already did," Keith quickly replied as they reached the school courtyard, marking the end of the second day of school.


	5. Klein

**Author's Note:**

I haven't written in a while, and Anime School Forever had a huge update. Now it's called Anime School Life, and introduce a ton of new features, like a school name (Monogatari High), and a new school club (the literature club). So, naturally, there might be some consistency issues with world-building in the story. Just a heads up. Okay, continue…

It was once again another bright morning at Anime Academy. Keith had arrived to class early, and was waiting patiently in the classroom. Students began to walk into the room one by one, until one of them caught Keith's eye, a student with a head of half icy blue hair and half snowy white hair, and a dark expression. Keith immediately stood up from his seat.

"Klein?!" Keith called out.

"Hey, bro," the student replied with a devious smirk.

The teacher walked into the classroom and settled down the students before introducing Klein as a new student to the rest of the class. Keith couldn't take his eyes off of him. His brother had just transferred to his school. Klein walked slowly down the rows of tables and sat a seat across from Keith right next to Amber.

"Hey, new kid. Find a new seat. This one's taken," Amber growled hostilly.

Klein said nothing.

Frustrated, Amber grabbed Klein by the collar, but before Amber could do anything else, Klein grabbed a tight hold of Amber's wrist and casually pulled her hand off his collar. Visibly astonished, Amber clenched her left fist and punched Klein squarely in the face. The entire class, even the teacher, went silent as Klein remained standing indifferently with Amber's fist still on his in contact with his face. Slowly, Klein released Amber's right arm and grabbed on tightly onto Amber's left wrist. Amber stood in shock as Klein's expression darkened. And in an instant and with a swift maneuver, Klein swept Amber off balance and flipped her mid-air and onto chest, putting most of his weight on her back and pinning her defenselessly onto the ground. The class held their breath. The strongest girl in school just got her butt handed to her by some new kid.

"Lemme go!" Amber demanded, struggling fruitlessly under Klein's pin.

"And why should I do that?" Klein asked, bringing his face close to Amber's ear, "Besides, I think the floor would be a better seat for you than on a desk like a civilized human being."

Amber went silent before struggling harder and growling aggressively at Klein.

"Klein! Stop it!" Keith spoke up in panic, "That's enough! You can't just start trouble on your first day of school!"

Klein looked up at Keith sternly before his expression melted into disappointment.

"Why the heck not?" Klein complained, "She started it."

Keith hid his face in his hand wishing hard that he wasn't Klein's brother before looking back up and replying.

"Klein, please," Keith said with a sigh, "There's a seat right behind me. You can sit there. Just… leave Amber alone."

Klein let out a sigh of defeat and stepped off of Amber's back. Seizing the opportunity, Amber sprung off of the ground and launched herself at Klein, determined to bring him down with a punch loaded with all of her strength. But like before, the minute the punch made contact, Klein was still unfazed, standing idly as if he had only been struck by a gentle breeze.

Amber was now beyond angry. She began striking Klein rapidly, concentrating all her strength into each and every blow. Shockwaves erupted from each strike and the entire school building began to tremble. But after the onslaught ended, the result was still the same. At the center of the nearly wrecked classroom, Klein stood still with his hands casually in his pockets.

"I hope you're done. This place is already a mess as it is," Klein remarked with a careless stare.

Amber stood panting and struggling to hide her obvious fatigue, "Not… done… yet… you-"

"A-Amber! That's enough!" The teacher finally spoke up from behind is displaced podium, "We have to start class. If you have a problem with the new student, we can talk about it after class, but disrupting class like this is not appropriate.

"Tch," Amber and Klein both acknowledged the teacher's words and took their seats as far away from each other as possible. Keith sat back down in his seat and covered his head with his notebook. _Why did you have to come here, Klein?_ Keith thought in embarrassment.

Soon, the bell rang for break, and Keith immediately rushed down to the fountain to meet up with Ethan. However, on his way out to the courtyard, Keith felt a tug on his hood and turned around to see his older brother looming over him. _Lucky dude. Why does he get to be so much taller than me? We're barely a year apart!_ Keith thought enviously.

"W-What's up, bro?" Keith said with a sheepish smile.

"It's been a while since we talked. How're you doing?" Klein asked monotonously.

"Um, pretty okay, I guess," Keith replied, "So, how're things with you? Having fun out there in the big, bad world?

Klein said nothing.

"Um, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Sorry," Keith said backing out of the conversation.

"No, no. It's alright. Things have been pretty normal ever since mom and dad kicked me out," Klein began, "Hard to believe, but living out on the streets ain't so bad, that is if people are afraid of you that is."

Keith gave Klein an sheepish smile and began walking with him to the courtyard. Keith didn't know how to reply. He never knew how to reply to Klein. He didn't know what it was. On one end of the spectrum, Keith was proud of his brother, maybe even envious, for how strong and resilient he was, and looked up to him in hopes to becoming as tough as he was one day as well. However, on the other end of the spectrum, Keith was afraid of his brother, his recklessness, uncontrollable nature, and his tendency to cause chaos wherever he went. Klein was the exact opposite of Keith, the yang to his yin. And unlike how Keith had inherited his mother's fox-like characteristics, Klein had inherited their father's unrivaled strength and physical durability. He was practically a walking fortress.

The two brothers finally walked out into the courtyard and went up to the fountain where Ethan stood waiting.

"Oh, hey! There you are," Ethan said greeting Keith with a casual smile, "Who's the tall guy standing next to you? I've never seen him around here before."

"Oh, Ethan! I want you to meet, Klein," Keith said putting an arm on Klein's shoulder, "He's my older brother. Klein, this is Ethan. He's practically my best friend."

Klein said nothing. Instead, he stared intently into Ethan's eyes with a stern expression.

"He doesn't seem right. He's hiding something," Klein said sternly.

Keith and Ethan froze. Ethan stared up at Klein, unable to reply.

"H-Huh?" Ethan finally uttered. Klein said nothing, continuing to stare into Ethan's nervous eyes.

"Blue Head!" a voice called out aggressively from behind Klein.

Klein turned around slightly to see Amber standing angrily by the door.

"What do you want, blondie?" Klein said casually.

Amber growled at the Klein, and stomped over, cracking the concrete with every step.

"Oh, boy…" Ethan breathe out, "This won't be good."

Amber stopped inches from Klein and glared up at him.

"I'm going to break every bone in your body," Amber growled with fury in her eyes.

"Heh, go on and try, little lady," Klein replied with a confident smirk.

"You, son of a-" Amber swung at Klein with all her might, planting her fist firmly into Klein's chest.

"Oh, you can do better than that," Klein flicking her fist of his chest, "What happened to all that fire I saw before?"

Enraged, Amber swung once more, putting every last drop of her strength into her strike, but it was all in vain. The minute Amber's fist got close enough to Klein, he grabbed onto her fist and used the momentum to slam her forcefully onto the ground, and pinned her down with his foot. With her strength exhausted, Amber could hardly struggle against Klein's pin.

"Klein, no…" Keith whined, "You can't keep doing this. You'll get in trouble."

"Butt out, wimp!" Amber roared out, trying hard to push herself off the ground. Keith instinctively retreated a little, remembering how Amber had beat him over time and time again.

Seeing Keith's retreat somehow lit a fire in Klein's eye, "Oh… I get it now…"

Klein looked down sternly at Amber who struggled to deliver a hateful glare at up at Klein, "The classic bully turned victim scenario. How does it feel now, little lady?"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" tears began to swell up in Amber's eye as she struggled helplessly against Klein's weight.

"Klein! That's enough. Please stop!" Keith begged tugging on Klein's jacket.

"Tch," Klein stepped off of Amber and pulled her up by her wrist, "If I catch you near my brother, I guarantee you, I'll make sure you never walk again."

Klein let go of Amber's wrist and let her stumble pathetically back onto her feet. The bell for the next class finally rung, and Keith pulled Klein away, leaving Amber alone next to the fountain to stare silently.

The next class was literature, which was one of Keith's favorite classes. However, it was made a bit less fun with Klein hanging around. Instead of reading or writing, Klein was being his usual destructive self, walking around and knocking books out of the bookshelves as he walked around the classroom. The entire class watched speechlessly as Klein casually knocks one book after the other to the floor. Finally, someone spoke up.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" It was the school council president, Astra, "Are you gonna pick that up, or what?"

Klein pause, staring at Astra for a minute, before smacking another book off the shelf.

"Oh, that is it, mister," Astra began furiously writing down something on her notepad before tearing out the page and holding it up to Klein's face, "You just got yourself a pass to the principal's office."

The entire room gasped. The principal at Monogatari High was notorious for giving out the terrible punishments to misbehaving students, but hardly anyone's ever been sent to the principal's office until now. Everyone stared at Klein waiting to see his next move. With a casual motion, Klein took the paper from Astra's hand and ripped the note in half right in front of her.

"Sorry, I don't recall letting you tell me what to do." Klein answered intimidatingly.

Astra stepped back in shock.

"Y-You… little punk!" Astra screeched before stomping off angrily.

"Good riddance," Klein said before casually flipping a reading table out of the classroom window with a flick of the wrist.

Keith could only stare in horror as Klein began walking around the room chucking furniture out of the window and into the pond outside. _Why is this psycho my brother?_

The day finally ended with the class dismissal bell, and Keith hurried to meet Eden at the school gates.

"Hey, Keith," Eden called out as Keith trotted over, "So, how's your day going?"

"A bit exhausting to be honest. Klein's been causing a bit of trouble. Man, I don't know what to do with him sometimes."

"Heh, you act like the big brother in this situation. Are you sure you're not the older one?" Eden teased.

"Unfortunately not," Keith sighed.

"Hey, cheer up. Maybe he'll get better while he's at Monogatari High. Meeting new people and such,"

"Hm, maybe…" Keith replied, "Or maybe he'll just stay a big jerk, who knows."

The two shared a laugh as they walked out the gate of the school and back to their dorms.


	6. A Fatal Weakness

The sun had barely risen behind the distant horizon, yet Keith was already up, waiting next to his bedroom door as Klein finished packing up his belongings in the other room. As Klein lifted up the backpack he had been packing into, he noticed Keith watching shyly from his room.

"Already up, Keith?" Klein said with a warm smile, "It's barely dawn."

"I wanted to see you go," Keith said timidly, "Are you really gonna leave?"

"I'm afraid so, lil' bro," Klein said slipping on the backpack and turning towards the door.

Keith said nothing. He couldn't find the right words to say. He could tell his brother not to leave or stop him before he stepped out the door. He did nothing as Klein turned the door handle and stepped outside.

"Hey, Keith? Take care of Mom and dad while I'm gone alright?" Klein said looking back at Keith one last time, "See ya later, Keith."

And in a second, Klein was gone. Barely 13 and already taken off on his own, leaving Keith alone to stand in his shadow. That was several years ago.

Keith blinked awake to the sight of an empty classroom. _Did class already end?!_ Keith thought in in shock _I must've fallen asleep_! Springing out of his chair, Keith rushed out the classroom to find some of the students on their way down the halls and to the school courtyard. _Ethan! He must be waiting for me!_ Keith realized as he rushed through the halls. Suddenly, Keith spotted a head of white and blue hair standing idly next to the stairs; it was Klein. Keith opened his mouth, ready to call out to Klein, but quickly closed it. _Klein will probably cause more trouble again._ Keith thought, _Maybe it'll be best if I leave him be for now._ And so, Keith slipped past Klein unnoticed and continued towards the fountain.

(Shift to Klein's point of view)

Klein stood idly by the stairs flipping around a lighter in his hand and staring out the window at the fountain full of students outside. _Hm… boring… absolutely boring…_ Klein thought to himself as he stared out of the window silently, _Maybe I should go… do something fun._ Klein smiled deviously to himself then began walking towards an the literature club clubroom. With a swift, careless motion, Klein kicked the door clean out of its hinges and strolled casually in. _Hm, empty,_ Klein thought to himself, _Perfect._

Klein walked around the room for a bit, examining the furniture and decorations, scanning the room for anything that seemed valuable. Finally, Klein's eye fell onto a particularly interesting item sitting plainly on the teacher's desk, a little bright pink notebook adorn with stickers and hand-drawn patterns. Something drew Klein to it. It didn't look particularly valuable, but it did look like it belonged to someone, someone who can be blackmailed, or worst. Klein picked up the notebook and tossed it around in his hands. _Maybe, I can sell this to some creep who likes snooping around in people's secrets,_ Klein thought with a smile, _Or maybe-_

"Hey,"

Klein turned around to the sight of a dark-haired girl with a darker expression standing still by the broken door.

"What?" Klein asked sternly.

"You know, I really hate thieves," the girl said, "Especially ones with a mind as filthy as yours."

"My mind, eh?" Klein echoed, "Hm, that must mean you're the school's infamous mindreader, Kamui."

Kamui nodded, "And you're a petty thief. Put the book back already. It's not worth anything."

"And who's gonna make me?" Klein said with a dark expression before walking past Kamui and out into the halls.

"You're not who you seem, are you?" Kamui said without looking at Klein, "Inside you are empty, devoid of anything. You seek to fill that hole with chaos and destruction, yet you deliberately make the hole wider by avoiding human affection. Why? Why is it that you do this?"

Klein said nothing for a moment before turning around and replying, "Stay out of my head, freak." He walked away.

"That boy," Kamui said to herself, "He's an interesting one. Underneath all that muck lies a diamond that refuses to reveal itself and shine in the light of day. Very, very interesting."

Band class was beginning, and students began entering the classroom. Klein had arrived late as usual and took a seat next to the window. Taking out a pocket knife, Klein began carving doodles into the table as other students watched in fear. Finally, a student approached Klein's seat with an irritated expression. It was Astra.

"Okay, mister," Astra began, "This is your last chance. Are you going to stop ruining school property, or do we have to do this the hard way?"

Klein ignored her, continuing to carve more images into the table. A look of fury flashed onto Astra's face and she suddenly took out a book and opened it in one hand.

"Astral Beam!"

Suddenly the book flashed to life and a beam of light and stars erupted out of Astra's outstretched hand. Klein quickly jumped out of the way as the beam struck the wall, leaving little to no damage to it. The class began to laugh.

"Did that kid just jump out of the way for a little light show?" a student snickered.

"No way, doesn't he realize that Astra's magic does absolutely nothing?" another student joined.

Soon, a ton of students had their gaze on Klein who was still on his knees on the ground with wide eyes. Astra was stunned to see Klein so afraid of her magic, but somehow a smile made its way onto her face.

"Ha! Now I guess you know who you're dealing with," Astra smirked, "Better behave or there'll be more where that came from."

Klein sprung up to his feet and grabbed Astra by the collar, lifting her up close to his face.

"Don't ever do that again!" Klein growled, "That is if you value your life."

Astra turned pale and froze still hanging from Klein's furious grip. Klein's eyes were full of fury and hatred, a look Astra had never seen before from the normally relaxed and devious boy. Astra didn't know what to do. It was as if she was staring straight into the eyes of death.

"S-Stop!"

Klein quickly turned to the direction of the voice and saw only a timid, little girl looking up at him.

"P-Please, put her down," the girl stammered.

Klein dropped Astra suddenly, letting her fall helplessly to the ground, and walked threateningly up to the girl with tightened fists. The girl retreated slightly, trying to avoid eye contact with Klein.

"And what do you want?" Klein asked in a stern voice, "That girl could've killed me. I was only returning the favor. Unless you want to be next, I suggest you butt out."

The girl let out a soft whimper before backing away slowly.

"Astral Beam!"

A swirl of light and stars struck Klein in the back which immediately knocked him over. The class gasped as Klein laid shock on the classroom floor. He felt a burning sensation in his back and pushed himself off the ground. Astra looked at him with her hands clasped over her mouth. Klein immediately looked into the window and found that his clothes had been burnt straight through, and the skin underneath had been scorched red and bleeding. The boy who was seemingly invincible had just been struck down by a beam of pastel colored lights. The pain was worsening, and Astra could hardly utter a word as Klein struggled onto his feet and turned to face her with a furious expression.

"You!" Klein growled readying his fist.

But before Klein could strike, he felt a soft embrace from behind and a soft glow encapsulated his entire body. The pain in his back melted away, and all that was left was a gentle warmth that rested softly on his bare skin. Turning around, Klein was shocked to find the girl holding on gently to him, whispering quiet words under her breath. Klein immediately shook the girl off and retreated backwards with a reddened face.

"W-What are you doing?" Klein quickly ran his hand down his back, "My burns… What did you do?"

"I… I healed you," The girl hesitantly answered, "You looked like you were in pain."

Klein said nothing. He couldn't respond to something like that. He had never heard someone that concerned for him before. Klein looked around the quiet classroom, noticing everybody's stunned faces, before stomping out of the room out of impulse.

Class passed relatively quickly, but Klein didn't bother coming back to attend it. Instead, he stayed in the bathroom of the bottom floor, still thinking about what had happened. _Of all the people… Why did it have to be some stuck up princess?_ Klein ran his hand down his healed back, _Magic… Why was I born to be like this? Why was I born to be cursed with this weakness?!_ In a blind rage, Klein bashed his fist straight through the bathroom wall nearly collapsed the entire wall.

Klein quickly regained his cool. _No, I can't let this get to me. I'm stronger than this stupid curse._ Klein calmly walked out of the bathroom, _But still, that girl… She healed me… What did she want from me? A favor? Protection? Why would she just heal me for no reason?_ The thought was slightly irritating to Klein, but he quickly put it aside as the bell rung for lunch to begin.

Klein quickly made his way over the cafeteria, passing Keith who was busy chatting with Ethan. _Huh, they really are close,_ Klein thought to himself, _Weird… It kinda reminds me of back then…_ Klein hesitated for a moment, debating to himself about whether or not he should walk over and say hi, but ultimately decided against it. _Nah, he seems busy. No use trying to make small talk again, I'll just end up scaring away his friend,_ Klein thought to himself before spotting a familiar person from across the cafeteria. _That girl!_

Klein quickly walked over to her, unaware of how threatening he looked. As soon as he girl saw Klein approaching, her face went pale and she froze on the spot. Seeing the girl freeze up, Klein took the opportunity to trap her between him and the wall in the most intimidating way possible. The girl let out a quiet yelp as she looked up with tears in her eyes at Klein, who looked down coldly.

"Okay. I want answers," Klein began, "Why did you heal me before? You couldn't possibly just have done it to help me. So what is it that you wanted from me? Maybe I can return the favor, so we can both forget about that mess from earlier, hm? Well, what do you say?"

"I… I-" the girl whimpered, trying to get her words out.

Suddenly from behind, Klein heard a familiar voice call out.

"Astral Beam!"

 _Right on time._

Klein quickly turned around, and with a smile, snatched up a lunch tray, and shielded himself from the ray of bright pastel colors. With a swift flick of the wrist, Klein quick flung the tray towards Astra, knocking the spellbook out of her hand. Astra stumbled backwards, giving Klein an opportunity to rush up to her, scoop the spellbook off the ground, and quickly chuck it out of the window with all his might. Astra could only watch in anguish as her beloved spellbook flew out of Klein's hand and out of on the cafeteria's beautiful glass windows.

"Well, that's enough of that." Klein said with a confident smirk, "Think of that as payback for the burn this morning."

Astra could say nothing as Klein walked past her with an accomplished smile on his face. Suddenly, Klein heard an unfamiliar sound.

"Stop!"

It was the girl, who now had clenched fists and tears streaming down her face.

"Come back, and apologize!" the girl called out to Klein.

Klein stood in disbelief. _Was this still that shy girl from before?_

The girl was shaking, but nonetheless, she walked up to Klein and looked up directly into his eyes. The entire cafeteria stopped and stared at them. Klein, who found her little display of false courage amusing, bent over a little until there were mere inches between their faces.

"And how are you going to make me?" Klein sneered.

The girl's face reddened, but she didn't break eye contact, still trying to find her words under the pressure.

"W-Wait, Sakura, don't! He's dangerous!" Astra called out trying to reach out to the girl. However, she stumbled a bit and ended up pushing into Sakura, who's face and lips immediately collided with Klein's. Klein and Sakura froze as the tension in the air quickly shattered with an accidental kiss. Klein quickly stepped away from Sakura with a reddened face as the blushing girl stared back at Klein with wide eyes before quickly breaking eye contact.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" Astra quickly stepped in front of the still blushing Sakura and wrapped her arms around her, "I didn't mean to- I didn't think it would- I am so sorry!"

"I-It's alright…" Sakura whimpered, trying to calm Astra down.

Hesitantly, Sakura's eyes made their way back over to Klein, who slumped over and walking away with his hands in his pockets clearly embarrassed from what just happened. Just as Klein exited through the cafeteria doors, he spotted his younger brother trotting towards him with a concerned look on his face.

"Klein!" Keith called out.

"Oh, er… hey, Keith," Klein responded trying to shake the thoughts of the kiss out of his head, "How's it going?"

"I heard there was a fight going on in the cafeteria!" Keith said slightly agitated, "Klein, did you do this?"

"Er… sort of?" Klein answered unsurely, "But don't worry. Nobody got hurt."

"Oh, Klein," Keith pouted, "You have got to stop causing trouble wherever you go. You'll get in trouble!"

"I know, I know," Klein replied, "I'll work on it, but I make no promises."

Keith let out a sigh of defeat, "Well, if you say you'll work on it, I guess that's better than nothing."

"Oh, by the way," Klein began, "Don't go into the cafeteria today."

"Huh? Why?" Keith asked.

Suddenly a voice erupted from inside the cafeteria, and an angry Astra rushed out. Keith suddenly realized what had happened, but before he could confront Klein about it, Klein was already about a couple meters away from him running away at top speed.


	7. Stalker

**Authors Note:**

It's been a really long time since I've written (as usual), and the game updated again. I haven't played the game yet since the update, but from what I can gather, the new updates come with a new school name, Starlight High, and mini games that are played in classes (although, since I haven't played those mini games yet, I'll just be sticking to the original style of the game, which is heavily rp based). Now without further ado (and because I barely know anything about this new update) let's get right into the story…

Keith laid half asleep in bed, drifting in and out of a pleasant dream, when suddenly a noise woke him.

 _Thud!_

Keith sprung upright in his bed and glanced quickly around the room. Nothing was there, but suddenly, Keith heard the distinctive sound of a rustling in the bushes outside, and rapid footsteps fleeing from outside his window. _Huh? Is someone out there?_

Keith looked out his window, and saw, to his surprise, a hooded figure rushing away from the dorms in under the darkness of night. Keith stood staring in shock as the figure ran into the school building and disappeared into the dark. Terrified from what he saw, Keith was unable to get any sleep that night. Questions kept coming to him. _Who was that? What were they doing? Was that a student? What if it wasn't a student? Why would a stranger be inside the school at night?_ The thoughts encircled Keith's mind, until morning finally came.

"Morning, Keith! How'd you sleep," Ethan greeted Keith in the lobby of the dorms as Keith made his way down the stairs, "Woah! You look like a mess. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Keith answered weakly, rubbing his tired eyes, "I just didn't sleep very well last night."

"Oh? What happened?" Ethan asked as the two begin to walk towards the main school building.

"Well, last night I saw something weird," Keith began, "There was a person running around the school at night. I didn't see who they were, but they ran into the school and never came out."

"Woah, creepy," Ethan replied with a shiver.

Keith and Ethan soon parted ways at the shoe lockers, Ethan heading towards gym class, and Keith heading for literature, but strangely, as Keith walked through the empty halls, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Yet, whenever he would turn around to check for students, there were never any. The hallways were empty. It was too early for that many people to be in class yet, and yet, Keith could feel it, a presence following him, watching his every move. A drop of sweat dripped down from his forehead. Keith felt uneasy, like he needed to run, and he did. Without hesitation, Keith made for the closest classroom and shut the door behind him.

 _I'm not crazy. I definitely felt it. Someone's following me. What if it's that person from last night? Are they after me now that I've seen them? Am I in danger?_ Keith peaked down the halls, and slowly stepped out of the classroom. The feeling he had was fading. _Are they gone?_ Keith tried to calm himself, but his ears suddenly picked up a faint sound. _Footsteps? And they're heading away from me. I was being watched! But by who?_

Keith couldn't stop think, even during class. _That person… the radiate a kind of sinister aura. That's how I can always sense when they're around. So what is it they want from me?_ Keith shut his eyes and thought hard. He wasn't sure if he had made any enemies in the school, but he couldn't understand why anyone would want to follow him around. Keith opened his eyes and relaxed himself just as Klein came up to him with a decorated, pink notebook in his hands.

"Hey, bro," Klein greeted plainly, "You doing alright? You seem distracted."

"It's nothing," Keith answered, "I just think that I may have become a target for someone in the school."

"Is it Amber? If you want, I really will make sure she never walks again," Klein replied, cracking his knuckles with a straight face.

"No, no! Not Amber," Keith quickly answered, "i just feel like I'm being watched is all, like somebody is following me, someone with a weird aura."

"Like a stalker?" Klein asked, taking a seat across from Keith, "Interesting. Since when did you become so popular, lil' bro?"

"I don't think it's like that, but ever since I entered this school, I sometimes get the feeling that someone is watching me," Keith replied, "I even saw someone outside the dorms last night! It was so creepy. What if they're a murderer? What if I'm gonna die?"

"Keith, seriously, that's not gonna happen. Not with me around anyways," Klein reassured, "But, if you need help with this little stalker of yours, I'll be more than happy to lend a hand."

"Are you going to break their legs?" Keith asked half-jokingly.

"What? No. I'm not a savage," Klein answered, "We're just going to _talk_ to them first. Then if it's really bad, I'll break their legs."

"Oh, yay…" Keith said regretfully.

"Meet me in the school yard after school," Klein said with a smirk, "We'll take care of your little problem then."

And so the day passed. Every time Keith was alone, he felt the presence following him, but was never able to catch them. Finally his last class of the day ended, and Keith made his way to the courtyard. However, when he got there, Klein was nowhere to be seen. Keith suddenly felt uneasy. _Where's Klein?_ He thought. Keith walked around the courtyard, circling the fountain anxiously. Suddenly, he felt the hairs on his tail stand. _They're here again._ Keith quickly spun backwards, desperate to catch his stalker, only to catch a glimpse of a shadow that quickly shot out of the bush and out of sight. _There!_ Keith spun around and around again, trying to catch a sight of his stalker, whose agility was honed enough to keep them out of sight of Keith's gaze. Round and round, they went, Keith spinning in desperation as the figure ducked, dodged, and avoided his sight, as if to toy with him. Suddenly, Keith saw the figure fall hard into a bush with a loud thud. _There's my chance!_ As Keith made his way over to the bush, he saw Klein rise up from the foliage holding up a cat-eared girl by her jacket hood.

"Gotcha," Klein said confidently.

"Oh, poo," the girl said as she hung helplessly from Klein's grip, "Okay, you caught me. Now what? You gonna break my legs?"

"First," Klein began, "Who the heck are you. I've never seen you before in my life."

"Wha?" the girl replied slightly offended, "I'm Nya! Y'know, the school's beloved yearbook photographer and local fanfic writer? Basically everyone in school knows who I am."

"Apparently not," Klein responded, "Do you know here, Keith?"

"Not a clue," Keith replied, staring at Nya with a puzzled face.

"Aw, how could you say that?" Nya pouted, "And after all the stories I've written about you and your misadventures!"

Keith felt a shiver run down his spine. _How long has she been stalking me?!_

"Like that one time you got beaten senseless by Amber! Oh, and that one time you and Amber were in the music room alone," Nya began excitedly, "Ah, and that one time you and Ethan made out! Eee! That made for such an awesome love story! It's got over a thousand reads online, y'know."

Keith stood frozen in shock, while Klein began snickering at Keith's reddening face.

"Wow," Klein began teasingly, "Barely a month into school, and you already have a boyfriend. Aw, my lil' bro's growing up so fast."

"Oh, and Klein! I've written a lot about you to, the school's handsome, troubled bad boy," Nya continued, "The story about you being in a love triangle with Astra and Sakura was such a hit! Especially the part about how you kissed Sakura right in front of Astra!"

Klein immediately dropped Nya with a cold face.

"Okay, now I break her legs," Klein said with cruel eyes.

"Eep!" Nya squeaked.

"No no no! No leg breaking!" Keith quickly butted in, "Maybe we can settle this peacefully instead!"

"Yeah, what Keith said," Nya agreed happily.

"Fine," Klein agreed reluctantly.

"Er, so Nya," Keith knelt down to Nya who was still on the ground, "Is there anyway we can get you to stop writing questionable stories about us?"

"Hm," Nya began to think, "Well, firstly, I'd like my journal back."

Nya motioned to Klein.

"Tch," Klein showed the inside of his jacket where the journal was, and looked down at Nya with suspicion, "And how will I know that you'll stop stalking us once I give you back the stupid book?"

"Well," Nya began, "You won't."

With blinding speed, Nya quickly snatched the journal from Klein's jacket, and backflipped away to a safe distance.

"H-Hey!" Keith called out.

"Heh heh heh!" Nya giggled playfully, "You just lost your only way of bargaining with me! Heh! And just so you know, I won't be letting my guard down the next time we meet. So, good luck catching me then! Well, Sayonara, foxy pushover, ice head!"

And with that, Nya parkoured her way up the side of the school building and disappeared onto the roof as Keith and Klein stood dumbfounded by the events that just unfolded in front of them.


	8. Parents' Visit Day

It was the beginning of another day, and Starlight High had never looked more alive. Today was the day, Parents' Visit Day. Every student in school was either anxious or excited to see their parents again. Keith was part of the excited crowd of students. He couldn't wait to see his parents again. It's been almost a month, but somehow the thought of seeing his mom and dad again still excited him. He wanted to show them everything in the school, his grades, his friends. Keith wanted to show them how wonderful his life was at Starlight High. Finally, the front entrance of the school opened, and adults began to flood in.

Keith quickly searched the crowd as other students were reunited with their parents. Finally, Keith spotted them. In the back of the crowd, two figures stood, a tall, well-built man with fiery blonde hair and kind eyes, and a beautiful woman with long, soft white hair with streaks of blue in them and familiar pair of fox ears and a long elegant tail. When the two saw Keith rushing through the crowd, they smiled kindly towards him and came closer.

"Mom! Dad!," Keith called out as he trotted over to embrace the both of them, "I'm so glad you're here! I have so much to show you!"

"I'm sure you do, sweetie," Keith's mother replied, "We're glad to be here."

"Keith, have you grown since the last time I saw you?" Keith's father asked teasingly, "I swear you were an inch shorter when you left."

The three of them laughed happily, and Keith lead the two of them into excitedly into the school. For the rest of the hour, Keith had a wonderful time showing his parents around the school, showing them the various classes, and introducing them to Ethan/Eden. Finally, it was time for lunch, and the trio headed down to the cafeteria.

"So, Keith, where's Klein? He sent us a letter saying he'd be coming to this school," Keith's father asked scratching at his beard, "He didn't back out did he?"

"No, he's here," Keith answered, "I just couldn't find him today. I don't know why he isn't here. I thought he knew today was Parents' Visit Day."

"Maybe, he doesn't want to see us," Keith's mother said coldly, "Klein, that trouble child. I wouldn't be surprised if he never showed his face to us again after what he did."

Keith felt the mood suddenly darkened. Klein was never a good subject to bring up to his mother. As kids, Keith had always noticed that he and Klein were treated differently. Keith was always the favorite child to his mother, and Klein had always been left out from their mother's love. Keith never understood why though, but when they were younger, Keith always noticed how much their mother would treasure and spoil him, yet look upon Klein with sheer indifference. _Was that why Klein did all those things he did?_ Keith thought to himself as they arrived at the cafeteria.

"We shouldn't talk about Klein right now, Darius," his mother finally said to Keith's father, "It'll spoil the mood."

Darius didn't reply, only nodding slightly with discomfort.

"So, Keith," his mother began, "How are your grades? Are you paying attention in class?"

And so, the subject of Klein was quickly dismissed. Keith didn't feel right after that however. He wanted to know what had happened between his parents and Klein. He had always wanted to know. Something must have happened between them, otherwise Klein wouldn't have behaved the way he did all those years ago. Keith sighed. It seemed like his parents wanted to bury the thought of Klein all together, pretend like he never existed, like a forgotten child. Keith didn't understand why. He'd never had the courage to ask Klein either. Keith wanted to leave the subject alone as well, like his parents, but he couldn't. It just didn't seem fair for Klein.

For the rest of lunch, Keith tried to bring up the topic of Klein as much as he could, but every time, his mother would always find a way to change the conversation. It's as if she only wanted to focus on him. Keith felt uneasy. This wasn't right to him. He needed some time alone. Keith suddenly found himself wanting space from his parents, something he never thought he'd ever want.

"I'm gonna go use the restroom real quick," Keith finally said, "Can you guys wait for me?"

"Sure thing, sweetie," Keith's mom said sweetly, "Take your time. And don't forget to wash your hands after."

"Junko, the boy's not a child anymore," Darius interjected with a chuckle.

Keith faked a chuckle before disappearing into the hallways. _I can't keep doing this. It's not that I don't want them here, it's just I can't stand the way mom talks like Klein doesn't exist. This just doesn't feel right. Are they still mad about what Klein did back when he was 13?_ Keith suddenly stopped. In front of him was Klein, who stood leaning against the wall in the middle of the hallway.

"Klein? There you are!" Keith said running up to him, "Where have you been? It's Parents' Visit Day today! Mom and Dad came to visit. Don't you want to see them."

Klein said nothing. He only stood still, looking straight ahead.

"Klein?"

"I don't want to see them." Klein finally said in a stern and serious voice.

"Wha-" Keith was caught off guard by Klein sudden reply, "B-But, why?"

"I just-" Klein sighed, "I just don't want to see them."

Klein pushed himself off the wall, and began walking down the empty hallway with his hands shoved into his pockets, leaving Keith to stand alone worried. _Something definitely happened. Maybe it really did have something to do with what he did before…_

To be continued…


	9. Bitter Memories

(Klein's Point of view)

Klein walked down the empty hallways. It was quiet. He was all alone. Just the way he liked it. He had never been close to anyone, not even his parents, with the exception of Keith, his precious little brother who accepted him no matter what. Or so he thought anyways. Klein had no way of knowing what Keith truly thought of him, and he'd rather keep it that way. Keith acted like the role of a caring little brother, and that was enough to reassure him that his thoughts were genuine, unlike his parents. For as long as he knew, his mother, Junko, would always ignore him, and his father, Darius, would only so him compassion out of pity. To them, Klein was nothing more than a nuisance, and Klein had already accepted that fact. As he walked on, memories began to flow into his mind. Mentally, he looked through them carefully and picked out a memory he knew too well, the day he met his younger brother, Keith.

It was a bright summer day. Sunlight flooded through the living room windows, and Klein was waiting patiently next to the front door, excited to meet his new baby brother. Finally, the door swung open, and Klein's mother walked in with Keith sleeping peacefully in her arms. Klein's eyes lit up at the sight of his new brother, but something amazed him even more. Keith had fox ears and a tail, just like his mother. This was what his mother had always wanted, an offspring that inherited her traits and power. But that didn't mean she loved him any less, right?

Soon, Klein began to notice the changes. Ever since Keith's arrival, Klein's parent had been ignoring him more frequently. His father, who spent almost every minute of the day with him, progressively began to shift all his loving attention over to his brother, and his mother, who hardly had the time for him before, now would hardly ever look at him. Klein was alone. Klein tried to push the memory away, but somehow he couldn't find the strength to ignore it anymore. The image of his parents' back turned towards him kept surfacing back in his mind. Every moment he was alone, every moment he tried to get his parents' attention, it all hit him. And finally, he remembered a terrible, venomous emotion surface, envy. He had be incredibly envious of his brother, for all the love he received, for all the attention he was getting, for his special ears and tail which his mother cherished so much.

And one day, it finally broke Klein. Now, at the age of 4, Klein had had enough of his younger brother's existence. He wanted to special like him too. He wanted to be loved, to be treasured by his parents. But in order for that to happen, Keith had to disappear. So, on a cloudy winter day, Klein took Keith out into the nearby forest to play a game, a competition of some sort with the love of their parents' love as the prize. Klein didn't tell Keith this however. He only lead Keith further and further into the dark woods, where he used to play alone while Keith was busy playing with his parents. Klein could stand it no more. When they had reached the very heart of the forest, at a small clearing, Klein stopped and turned to Keith.

"Okay, Keith," he began, "We're going to play a game."

"A game?" Keith chimed in excitedly, "What kind of game?"

"It's a game I made up yesterday," Klein explained, "It's like hide and seek, but at night. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Huh?" Keith yelped, "That doesn't sound fun at all! I'm scared of the dark, Klein!"

"Aw, c'mon, scaredy cat. Don't be a baby," Klein taunted, "I'll tell you what, if you can find me, I'll do one thing you want without question. How about it."

"Um… okay!" Keith finally agreed.

And so, the sun sank over the horizon, and darkness flooded over the forest. It was time, time for Klein to get rid of Keith once and for all. Finally, in the pitch darkness, Klein told Keith to close his eyes and start counting, and the moment Keith began to count, Klein turned towards the direction of his house and began running away as quickly as he could, away from his idiot brother and towards a bright future full of love and attention. Klein knew the forest better than anyone in town, and as for Keith, he had never even stepped past their yard. There was no way Keith could find his way home. After all, he had always had someone to hold his hand, someone to guide him, to baby him. Now he was all alone. Just like Klein.

Klein stopped. He was nearly home, but his legs won't move. Standing alone on the street, Klein stood in the light of the street lights as the sky began to cry its bitter tears, tears for the loss of an innocent soul. Klein couldn't take the weight being dropped on him. Home was just a block away, but Klein couldn't move. He had to go back. He had to go back for his stupid brother. _He did nothing wrong! I can't do that to him! Not even if I hate him!_ Thoughts fired rapidly through Klein's mind as tears began to run down his face, mixing with the pouring rain.

Stumbling through the woods, Klein ignored the cuts that were being made on his arms as he shielded himself from the sharp branched at jutted out from the trees. He fell and crashed on the grounds numerous times, bruising and cutting himself on the unforgiving ground, but finally he was back to the forest clearing. And there he was, his little brother sitting on the ground with his face buried in his knees, crying and wailing for his older brother. The sight cracked open Klein's frozen heart. _It wasn't his fault. I can't let him be hurt like this. He isn't me. I'm me, and I'm a bad person._ Klein quickly made his way over to Keith, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Instantly, Keith looked up and his eyes lit up like a thousand stars.

"Big brother!" Keith jumped into Klein's arms and let out let out a heartbreaking wail, "I was so scared, Klein! I thought I wouldn't be able to find you! I thought you left me! But you came back! You came back, and I found you!"

Klein couldn't stop crying. He didn't realized that by leaving Keith to die in the woods, he would've lost the one person who truly loved him.

"Let's go home," Klein said quietly.

The heartwarming moment soon faded as Klein's mind began to drift to the memory of the aftermath. As soon as Keith and Klein stepped into the house, Klein was faced with his mother's deathly glare. Even Keith was trembling, but he didn't go of his brother's hand.

"Klein, do you know how late it is?" his mother asked with venom in her voice, "Where did you take your brother?"

"J-Just out to play. We were at-"

 _Smack!_

Klein stumbled backwards, letting go of Keith's hand, and falling onto the cold hard floor. Before Keith could come over to him, his father scooped him up into his arms and quickly got out of the way. Klein was alone again. He was to face his mother's wrath alone, just as he deserved. His mother summoned a magic circle before her with a hateful glare fixed right on him. _Magic, huh?_ That was the worst punishment his mother could give him. She knew he was weak to magic. She knew it could kill him. She didn't care, and neither did he. Klein didn't care anymore. He just wanted it to be over with. An unloved child did not deserve to live. Klein closed his eyes and awaited his fate. However, his punishment was never received, because when he opened his eyes again he found a little boy standing between him and his mother, shielding him. _Keith?_

"Keith, what are you doing?" their mother asked, "Go with to daddy."

"N-No!" Keith answered stubbornly.

"Keith!"

"No!"

For the first time in his life, Klein looked up to his brother. Keith had a fire in his eyes. He was determined not to let his brother be hurt anymore. Finally, their mother yielded, dissolving the magic circle and turning away silently. All the while, their father watched passively from the side. And an instant later, the both of them disappeared down the halls towards the bedroom. Keith looked back down at Klein, and helped him up from the floor.

"Does it hurt?" Keith asked as Klein rubbed his left cheek where his mother had slapped him.

"No, I'm okay," Klein replied.

He really wasn't okay. He changed that day. After the incident, Klein realized that his anger wasn't for his brother, but rather his parents, the people who made him and abandoned him. And soon, his little seed of anger grew into hatred, the bitter resentment of a lonely child. Klein couldn't hold it in anymore. And in the empty hallway, Klein stood alone with bitter tears running down his face.


	10. Brothers

Keith began walking back to the cafeteria. This still didn't feel right to him, but he wasn't sure what bringing Klein to his parents would do to their already tense relationship. As Keith walked down the hallway, his thoughts began to wander back to his childhood days, specifically when Klein began to change. Keith remembered it clearly. He was 10 when the chaos began. And on this very day all those years ago, Keith witnessed his brothers full destructive potential unleashed on a couple of unfortunate souls.

It was spring back in their hometown. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and Keith and Klein were once again in school. It was all as it should be. It was in the afternoon that things began to change. Keith remembered his stroll down the street towards his brother's school, happily skipping down the sidewalk, ready to see his brother again. It was a cold afternoon, and the sky was a warm golden color. Keith finally came to a stop by the local middle school where his brother was and turned towards the playground. And there, he saw an unbelievable sight. Bodies littered the ground, some bruised severely, others left bleeding with minor wounds. And in the center of it all, stood his brother with dirty knuckles and a ruined, torn uniform.

"K-Klein?"

That night, Klein had faced their mother's infamously cruel punishment. And in the discord of anger and screaming, Keith was able to find out that his brother had began a fight in school, which grew into a savage beatdown which drag in even innocent bystanders. Keith had no idea what had gotten into his normally quiet and cool-headed older brother, but he knew he didn't like it. Still, Keith couldn't find it in himself to believe the story. How could he? The Klein he knew wasn't a bully. The Klein he knew would never hurt anyone. But that was only the first outburst. Keith was finally forced to accept reality when his brother continued his wrathful rampage throughout middle school. Pain, destruction, chaos, and tragedy followed Klein wherever he went. Sometimes he'd even lash out against their own parents, though he was never a match for their mother. Keith didn't like this new side of Klein. He wanted his older brother back, the kind, caring, and protective older brother that could do no harm. But that dream was gone, replaced by a cruel reality. And finally, it happened, the final straw that broke it all, the day Klein nearly got Keith killed.

It was a cold winter's night. Keith was 12 and Klein was 13. Keith had been quietly following Klein as he spread chaos and destruction throughout the town hoping to find some way of knocking some sense back into him the only way he could understand, in a fight. They finally reached the harbor, and Keith revealed himself to Klein under the light of the street lamps.

"What're you doing here, Keith?" Klein said turning towards his younger brother.

"I'm here to beat some sense into you," Keith answered sternly.

"Huh?" Klein was not amused, "You gonna fight me or what? I don't wanna hurt you, lil' bro."

"I don't want to hurt you either, but this has to end," Keith stated boldly, "You're hurting too many people. As your brother, I can't let you keep this up. So, I'm proposing a game. First one to fall loses."

"Let me guess," Klein interrupted, "If you win, I have to stop and go back to being a good little boy."

Keith said nothing. His eyes spoke for him. Klein let out a sigh of defeat.

"Okay, lil' bro," Klein said stepping closer, "Let's play your little game."

Keith stared up at his brother with unwavering courage. He knew that Klein couldn't be defeated, the guy was only weak to one thing after all. But that was what Keith was planning on. Since Klein had inherited their father's strength and durability, Keith must've inherited their mother's magical abilities. This was his chance to prove it. This was his chance to defeat Klein and return him to his senses. He was already at the age when foxes discover their powers, so he knew that all he needed was just a little push. Keith hoped that, in addition to getting his brother back, he would awaken his powers as well. At that time, Keith had no idea how selfish his thoughts were, but thinking back to it now, the very thought made him sick. Keith had wanted his brother back, and he had wanted to overpower his brother with the thing that harms him most. He wanted it all, like a spoiled child who wanted the world in his hands.

The fight began with Keith making the first move, a series of forceful swings and sloppy kicks, which Klein either dodged with ease or blocked. Keith didn't give up however. He knew Klein could beat him in a physical fight anytime, but he just needed Klein to fight back in order for him to activate his magic. He thought that his magic would show up when he needed it most, like to defend himself from a killing blow. Keith was betting on it. He knew he was quicker than Klein, so any of Klein's attacks were easy for him to evade. But strangely, Klein never fought swung back. He only dodged, blocked, and parried, but never attacked. Keith was getting frustrated. He didn't understand why Klein wouldn't just fight back already. He can't keep going like this. He'll lose at this rate. Keith's stamina could only hold on for so long. He wasn't as physically fit as Klein. All he could bet on was the magic in his veins, which he can't even use unless Klein attacked him. In frustration, Keith began to lash out more violently against Klein. His claws grew out, his eyes began glowing a fiery hue. He was determined to defeat Klein. No matter what, Keith will take Klein down.

Klein suddenly began having trouble evading Keith's attacks. They were coming to fast, and now with claws and fangs in the flurry, Klein was slowly taking more and more damage. Keith knew well that this wouldn't be enough to bring Klein down. It wasn't just about Klein anymore though. This was about him too. He wanted to be stronger than Klein, his brother who inherited all their father's strength. Keith felt envy rise up within him. Klein had always been stronger than him, not just physically, but emotionally as well. Nothing bothered him. He could survive no matter the situation. But Keith however, he'd instantly crack under pressure. And without his parents, Keith was helpless, a useless lump to society. He hated it. He hated it so much. He wanted to be Klein, to have his strength, his power. Klein had it all, but he instead decided to use all that he was given to cause chaos and misery wherever he went. It enraged Keith. He couldn't take it anymore. And finally, he felt it, the power that flowed through his veins. Keith felt a warmth in his hands; he saw it glow. And Klein saw it too.

Something snapped in Klein the minute he saw the glow. The memories and trauma finally hit him. All those beatings and punishments, they finally caught him. Klein broke. And in an instinctive outburst, Klein bashed Keith hard right in the chest, knocking the air out of him, and sending him flying into a nearby wall. When his rage subsided, Klein looked down at Keith who laid still on the ground before him, blooded and silent.

"K-Keith?" the guilt finally hit Klein, "Keith, get up. C'mon, lil' bro."

Keith didn't move. The air grew colder as snow began to drift down on the brothers. Klein stumbled over to Keith's unmoving body and held him up in his arms. Keith was definitely still breathing. All Klein had done was knock him unconscious. But looking down at Keith's bloodied body, Klein couldn't stop the tears that came into his eyes. And under the falling snow, Klein carried home his injured little brother.

Keith's mind shifted back to reality. We was now standing in front of the cafeteria. In the far back of the cafeteria, his parents sat chatting with each other with a carefree expression. Keith couldn't bare to look at them. It brought back too many memories. Keith didn't approach them. Instead, he let his mind drift back to the past once more, back to the night before Klein's departure.

Keith remember waking up in their mother's room that night. His mother had spent the entire night healing his injuries with magic, something she could never do for Klein. Keith began thinking back to the fight. What had he done? What he did, it wasn't for Klein, it was for himself. Keith felt disgusted by the very thought. He didn't want to think about it anymore, then the realization hit him. All this time he had been receiving everything he wanted from their parents, while Klein got nothing. He never once celebrated Klein's birthday only his own. Klein had never been walked to school with a pair of loving parents. Instead, he walked alone, he played alone, he lived alone. Was that why, why he became the way he was? Keith felt tears swelling up in his eyes. Keith remember finding his brother alone in the living room that night, staring out of the frosted window with a troubled face. They didn't talk much that night, but it was enough for the two to share their apologies.

"Keith, I'm leaving tomorrow," Klein finally said.

Keith stood dumbfounded, "But, why?"

"Mom and dad have had enough of me," Klein replied indifferently, not taking his eyes off the falling snow, "It's time for me to go anyways."

"But, when will you come back?" Keith asked.

"I don't know," Klein answered, "Maybe never. Who knows."

"You don't mean that," Keith said with misty eyes, "You'll come visit me right?"

"Hm, maybe," Klein answered, "I do know that we'll meet again someday. But for now, you should get some rest. I'm not going anywhere yet."

Keith said nothing. He should've said something. He should've told him how much he loved him or begged him to stay. But he said nothing. Instead, he retreated back into his room, and left Klein alone again. That morning, Klein left, and nothing was ever the same again. Their parents just acted like he never existed, or slander his name uncaringly, which never seemed right to Keith. What did Klein ever do to deserve that? He didn't know, but he wanted to know. What was the reason for his parents' neglect of Klein?

Keith walked into the cafeteria, and stood in front of his parents.

"Ah, Keith you're back," Keith's mother said looking up at her son before freezing, "K-Keith? What happened? You're crying."

He was crying. He couldn't stop the tears anymore. They ran down his cheeks like a river of sorrow.

"Mom, dad, we have to find Klein," Keith said finally.


	11. Family

Keith marched down the hallways with his parents following not far behind him. Although, his mother didn't seem willing to see Klein again, Keith was determined to mend the wounds of the past and reunite his family as one again.

"Keith, we don't have to do this," Keith's mother, Junko, protested, "Klein's better left alone. Don't you remember what he did to you? What if he tries to hurt you again?"

Keith gritted his teeth. He knew well why Klein had done the things he did, which was why he didn't stop. He didn't listen to his mother's pleads. He wanted to make things right once and for all. Finally, they spotted him. His white and blue hair was unmistakable as he stood alone in the empty hallway.

"Klein!" Keith called out as he came to a stop a few feet away from him.

"Hey, Keith. What're you doing he-" the minute Klein saw his parents, he immediately fell silent, "Mom, dad. You look well."

Their father, Darius, nodded silently, but their mother did not move. A short moment of silence followed as none of them knew how to start the conversation. Finally, Klein let out a subtle sigh, and turned to leave. His parents remained silent.

"Why?" Keith finally asked, "Why is our family like this?"

Klein stopped, Junko visibly flinched, and Darius looked down, avoiding Keith's gaze.

Keith didn't understand. His parents would never act this way if Keith were the one alone in the hallway, but with Klein, they act like total strangers. Keith couldn't understand. What had Klein done to deserve this?

"Keith, you don't understand any of this do you?" Klein finally said, "Is that why you brought them here? So you can finally learn the truth?"

Keith said nothing.

"Hmph, alright then," Klein turned back towards them, "I think you're old enough to know. You see, lil' bro, I'm not wanted here. Unlike you, I wasn't born with mom's rare and ancient traits. I wasn't born a magic fox demon. I was born to be like dad, a physical fighter, a common trait from a common race. I wasn't special like you, so I was unwanted. The whole reason mom wanted an offspring was to have another special little snowflake in the world, someone just like her. But I'm nothing like her, so why should she care for me? Because we're family? Because I'm her son? She doesn't care about things like that. She cares about power. She always had. Isn't that right, mother?"

Junko said nothing. Klein smirked at them, and turned away once more.

"Klein, wait."

Klein froze. That wasn't Keith's voice. It was his mother's.

"Listen, Klein," Junko began, "I knew what I did was wrong. I knew that my pride, my bias, it hurt you. I know that. But at the time, I couldn't see past that. I couldn't see past myself. I couldn't see the monster I was becoming. When you left, I felt it for the first time. I felt regret, sorrow, I felt like I had lost a piece of myself. You may not be like your brother, but that doesn't mean I should treat you the way I did. Klein, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I treated you like that. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. The truth is, I'm very proud, proud that you've lived through all that and still keep walking forward. I was wrong, Klein. The fact that you weren't like me didn't make you weak, it made you stronger. So, I'm sorry. I want to make up for the lost years, Klein. I want you to come back to the family. It took so much for me to realize, and even more for me to put my pride aside and tell you. And- and-"

"Junko," Darius placed a hand on her shoulder, "I think he understands."

Klein was trembling. And although he was facing away from Keith and their parents, Keith could see a part of his face and the tears that streamed down from his eyes. _It's over,_ Keith thought, _It's finally over._ Klein wiped away his tears and nodded before walking away without a word. Keith smiled, letting go of his breath, and relaxing his tensed up muscles. Looking back his parents, Keith saw hope in their eyes. _Things will heal,_ Keith thought. Keith closed his eyes, _Things will heal._

And so the day slowly came to an end, and it was time for Junko and Darius to depart. Standing under the gentle shower of cherry blossom petals, Keith hugged his parents tight, and said his goodbyes.

"I'm so glad you guys made up today," Keith said with a bright smile.

"It's thanks to you to, Keith," Junko replied, "Since when did you grow up so much?"

The three laughed happily together before Keith's ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. The familiar sight of a messy head of white and blue hair came into view.

"Klein! You made it!" Keith called out happily.

"I couldn't miss seeing our parents off," Klein replied, "What kind of son would I be?"

Keith had never seen such a genuine smile on Klein's face. Klein came over and stood next to Keith.

"I guess this is goodbye for now," Klein said with a relaxed smile.

Suddenly, Junko walked up to Klein and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"We'll meet again, Klein," Junko said with a wavering voice, "We're family after all."

Klein froze at the word "Family", before returning the embrace.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon, Mom," Klein said as he let go.

Just as their parents turned to leave, Keith's father suddenly turned back towards the school, looking straight at the school entrance where a single student stood.

"Amber?"

Amber walked up to them.

"Amber," Darius greeted, "It's been quite some time hasn't it? How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm doing fine, Uncle Darius," Amber replied, "Are you visiting a student at this school?"

"Ah, yes. My sons," Darius answered, "Keith, Klein, I'd like you to meet Amber. Your cousin."

Amber turned around, suddenly realizing that Keith and Klein had been standing a short distance away the entire time, and froze.

"C-C-C-" Keith stuttered.

"Cousins?!" Amber finished.


End file.
